9th Assembly: Orji Kalu drops Deputy Senate President ambition, gives reasons

Orji Kalu, Abia North Senator-elect, has backed down on his ambition to become the Deputy Senate President of the 9th Senate.

This is coming barely 24 hours after he denied stepping down and endorsing Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the position.

However, the former Governor of Abia State explained that he dropped his ambition in the interest of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

In a statement issued by his media office on Tuesday morning, the Abia North Senator-elect threw his weight behind those endorsed by the party for positions in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Kalu vowed to abide by the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari and the NWC of the APC.

He stressed that the decision of the party was supreme and must be respected by loyal party members.

According to Kalu: “I decided to throw my hat into the ring to contest for the position of Deputy Senate President after wide consultations with stakeholders, especially my political associates, friends and colleagues (returning senators and senators-elect).

“However, I use this opportunity to announce my withdrawal from the race in the interest of the APC and Nigeria at large.

“I contested and won election as a senator on the platform of the APC and as such, I cannot go against the decision of my party.

“The party, I am optimistic, will consider the South East for other principal positions in the Senate and House of Representatives for the sake of national unity.

“The South East should be ably and well represented at the top hierarchy of the 9th National Assembly.

“The 9th National Assembly will work harmoniously regardless of party affiliations to ensure that the executive and judiciary arms of government are complemented in a bid to build a prosperous Nigeria.”